Devices for the administration of oxygen and other gases to an individual under various circumstances are manifold. Exemplary of such prior art devices are disclosed in the following U.S. Patent Nos.:
______________________________________ 968,306 Wunderlich August 23, 1910 1,203,391 O'Donnell October 31, 1916 2,260,701 Boothby et al October 28, 1941 2,329,289 Morehouse September 14, 1943 2,336,979 Boothby et al December 14, 1943 2,488,261 Bedini November 15, 1949 2,944,546 Ziherl et al July 12, 1960 3,045,672 Croasdaile July 24, 1962 ______________________________________
In still other prior art patents there are disclosed various portable respirators and inhalers. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 642,057 to Uysdal et al of Jan. 23, 1900 there is disclosed a fireman's portable respirator which is particularly directed to an agent disposed within the breathing bag for absorbing carbonic acid exhaled by the user.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,449,047 to Johnson of Mar. 26, 1923 there is disclosed a pocket inhalation apparatus which comprises a casing which contains a removable miniature high pressure cylinder bottle for containing a gas and communicating with a series of expansion chambers and an outlet for the gas. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,045,671 to Updegraft of July 24, 1962 there is disclosed a portable inhaler which includes a metal cartridge adapted to retain a supply of gas under high compression.
While such prior art devices provide improvement in the areas intended, there still exists a great need for a portable breathing device which provides a temporary source of respiratory gas to the user while in an atmosphere of irrespirable or poisonous gases.
Accordingly, a principle desirable object of the present invention is to provide a novel portable autonomous breathing device which provides a temporary source of respiratory gas.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide a portable breathing device which enables the user to employ ambient on site breathable air or respiratory gases for use in an environment of non-breathable or poisonous gases adjacent the site.
A still further desirable object of the present invention is to provide a temporary inhalation device of compact form when not in use and which is inexpensive to manufacture.
A still further desirable object of the present invention is to provide a portable breathing device which provides in combination a structure having an upper breathing section and an associated lower respiratory gas container section which provides means for containing a volume of ambient respirator gases to provide a temporary supply of respiratory gases to the user when in an atmosphere of irrespirable or poisonous gases.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide a temporary breathing device of compact form which can be easily stored at the site of need and which provides for a container of respiratory gas at substantially ambient pressure.
Other desirable objects and advantages of the present invention will in part appear hereinafter and will in part become apparent after consideration of the specification with reference to the drawings.